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GEORGE lV. THOMAS AND SAMUEL BRANCH, OF LEXINGTON, ARKANSAS.

HOE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 578,664, dated March 9, 1897.

Application filed October 12, 1896.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE W. THOMAS and SAMUEL BRANCH, citizens of the United States, residing at Lexington, in the county of Van Buren and State of Arkansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hoes and Like Tools, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention has for its object to improve hoes and similar garden-tools, and to produce a handle-socket piece to which hoe-blades and othertools of different kinds, sizes, and shapes may be readily applied and from which they may be easily removed.

We have illustrated our invention as applied to a garden-hoe, but it should be underden-tools of other kinds.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective of a hoe embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is an elevation showing the rear side of thehoe. Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Eig. 2. Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4 4. of Fig. 2.

A represents the socket or eye, in which is secured the end of the handle H. Instead of the socket a tang or other means of securing the tool to the handle might be used. To the forward end of the socket there is secured a plate B, which is disposed at the proper angle to suit the tool which is to be secured thereto. At the upper edge of the plate and on either side of the socket there are perforated lugs or fianges C C, disposed at an angle to the plate, and below these lugs the plate B is slotted from its lower edge upward for a short distance, as at D D. The blade of the hoe E is placed against the rear face of the plate B with its upper edge bearing against the lugs or flanges C and is held securely in this position by bolts F F. These bolts are bent near their headed ends, as represented at e in Fig. 3, their short bent ends extending through holes f in the hoe-blade and the slots D in the plate B, and their longer ends extending through the perforations in the lugs O, where they are confined by the nuts G. The longer upright legs or portions of the bolts lie in grooves or channels I I, formed in the rear face of the hoe-blade, so that the bolts do not Serial No. 608,625. (No model.)

project much if at all beyond the rear face of the hoe. These grooves might be omitted, but we prefer to use them, as it makes a smoother and better looking tool. We also prefer that the heads e of the bolts should occupy countersinks which are formed at the ends of the slots D for reasons similar to those mentioned for the use of the grooves I. Instead of having the plate B slotted, as at D, it need only be perforated to correspond with the perforationsj'1 in the hoe-blade, but we prefer to use the slots, as they facilitate the rapid connecting and disconnecting of the blade to the socket-plate, as is apparent.

Whenever it is desired to remove a hoeblade or other tool which may be secured to the socket-plate for any purpose whatever, it is only necessary to remove the nuts G from the bolts F, when the blade may be slipped off from the socket-plate, the short ends of the bolts sliding through the slots D. The bolts may then be entirely removed from the hoe-blade and applied to another blade or implement, and that in turn secured to the socket-plate, as will be apparent without further description.

Our improved means for securing a hoeblade or other implement to a handle-socket piece are exceedingly simple, so that one tool can be removed and another put in its placel without delay or inconvenience, and with the aid of a wrench only. The implement is securely held in place and the securing means do not project beyond the faces of the implement, which is thereby left smooth and unobstructed, and not likely to be encumbered with weeds or rubbish.

Having described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

l. A handle-socket A for a garden implement provided with a supporting-plate having perforated flanges or lugs at its edges and on either side of the socket, and disposed at an angle to the plate, in combination with a blade secured to the plate, and securing-bolts which pass through the blade and the plate, and through the said perforated lugs, whereby different blades may be applied to and removed from the handle-socket and plate,

IOO

blade and the pla-ite, and the perforatons in the lugs, C, and lying in the grooves, I, subro stantially as set forth.

Without disturbing the handle which is supported in Jche socket A, substantially as set forth.

2. A handle-socket for a garden implemen GEORGE W. THOMAS. 5 provided with a supporting-plate having per- SAMUEL BRANCH.

forated lugs., C, at its upper edge, in eonibina- Vitn esses:

JOHN K. HATCHETT,

tion with a hoe-blade havinguhe grooves, I, I,

N. B. MCGLATHENY.

and the angular bolts, F, passing through the 

